Membership changes – announcement from the ISH Membership Chair

Débora Colombari

Chair ISH Membership Committee

I am pleased to announce several changes to the ISH membership structure to make ISH membership more accessible around the world and improve member experience overall.

Changes include a new and simplified set of membership categories, and reduced and free memberships for some parts of the world, as well as the launch of a new and refreshed membership portal.

There are now three ISH membership categories: (1) Member, (2) Associate Member and (3) Trainee. ISH Fellowship designations will remain, but for membership administration purposes Fellows will form part of category 1 – Member.

(1) MEMBER

Individuals who have conducted original research in the field of hypertension or related topics and / or those who have made demonstrable contributions to hypertension through clinical involvement and who are interested in promoting the aims of the Society are eligible to join the ISH as a Member.

Paid Members will receive enhanced benefits to Associate Members including:

Leadership opportunities within ISH/eligibility to be elected for Council.
ISH meeting registration discount. ISH2024 – Cartagena, Colombia, 19-22 September 2024.
Reduced cost Journal of Hypertension subscription (USD 135 for 2024).
Free online subscription to Journal of Hypertension (on request) for those coming from Research4Life countries.
Voting rights around ISH governance.
As well as a host of information that you can view in the ISH Members’ Area.

Designations as an ISH Fellow (ISHF), Distinguished, Emeritus or Honorary Fellow

The awarded and special designations of ISH Fellow (ISHF), Distinguished, Emeritus and Honorary Fellow are invaluable to the Society to recognise excellence within our community and will continue to apply to those members who have been awarded these designations.

For renewal payment purposes and in relation to membership benefits, ISHFs, Distinguished, Emeritus and Honorary Fellows will be classified as Members. ISHFs will pay a membership fee (see Member fees below). However, membership as a Distinguished, Emeritus and Honorary Fellow continues to be offered at no cost.

(2) ASSOCIATE MEMBER

The category of Associate Member is open to anyone with an interest in hypertension and / or the work of the ISH including nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, community healthcare workers, members of the public, patients, carers and journalists.

Membership comes at no cost for Associate Members.

For current ISH Members who wish to retain their affiliation to the ISH but do not wish to pay an annual fee as a Member, there is an option in the ISH Members’ Area to change their status to Associate Member – a non-fee-paying category. However, please note that the above-mentioned additional benefits including voting rights do not apply to Associate Members.

(3) TRAINEE

The Trainee category is designed for postdoctoral fellows, residents and graduate students (Masters or PhD). This is a special opportunity for any new researcher or clinical scientist undertaking a higher degree to enhance their CV.

Membership comes at no cost for Trainees, but a Trainee must confirm annually that they are still in training.

Reduced fees and free memberships

Reduced membership fees are available for those from Research4Life countries.

Free annual memberships are offered to trainees and Members from certain parts of the world including Ecuador, Sudan and Ukraine in 2024.

Member fees USD 50 per annum, or the reduced rate of USD 20 for those based in a Research4Life designated country.

A refreshed membership portal

ISH members now have access to a new membership portal, offering access to training, resources, and other member benefits. The Members’ Area is home to the portal where those in the ISH community can manage their membership. Current members should login with the same username and password used to access the old version of the ISH Members’ Area.